What's the difference between Mainstream and Underground??
 

Do you think the difference between mainstream and underground hip-hop is a matter of content, as in what they rap about?
Or do you think mainstream and underground hip-hop is measured by financial success i.e. how many albums sold, major record deal, etc.?
Would someone who raps about bling, getting hoes, and being a gangster but is virtually unknown and has no album sales be considered mainstream or underground to you?

sales/exposure. people rap all styles while on the come up. from gucci to em.

i think its a matter of content, since labels don't allow artist to talk about certain things

Mixture of both in my opinion. Most mainstream artists rap about the same boring ass shit; money, degrading women, some stupid dance move etc etc. Most underground rap is about real life struggle and shit. Not many mainstream artists really rap about anything valid. Most of them claim sets or gangs that they really arent a part of. Kinda pisses me off.

I think what should ultimately define an artist is what he/she does. Because we can control what we do, but we can't always control what happens to us. Record sales and mainstream success are more of things that happen to you (there is only so much one can do without the backing of a major label), whereas what you rap about is a choice that's within your control.
So to me, that has more defining power upon an artist.

if aesop rock had a platinum selling album he wouldn't be underground.


I can go to any soundcloud type site right now and show you people rapping in a "manstream" manner who barely have what you could consider even moderate underground exposure


Content is completely irellivant

@Just C Do you choose what music you listen to based on the content or how much money the artist makes?

content.

Then you can't say content is irrelevant.